Group pushes for early pool opening at Spa State Park
Sunday, May 31, 2009
By PAUL POST
The Saratogian
SARATOGA SPRINGS — State parks officials expect to open Victoria Pool on Saturday, June 27, but might opt for a week earlier if conditions permit.
However, that’s still not early enough for Save the Victoria Pool Society members, who gathered at the site recently to protest its scheduled opening.
The cash-strapped state could make money by opening the pool Memorial Day weekend or early June, society co-founder Louise Goldstein said. But parks officials say it takes at least five people to staff the pool, and if weather doesn’t cooperate, it actually loses money.
“It’s a balancing act,” said Robert Kuhn, assistant regional parks commissioner. “Monday (May 25) was a beautiful day. If people really wanted to go swimming, they could have gone to one of our beaches. We were almost turning people away at Moreau Lake State Park. At this point, the pool water is still so cold that most people don’t want to go in. You might get a few sunbathers. But if it’s cloudy and nobody shows up, you lose money.”
Moreau Lake’s beach stayed open throughout Memorial Day weekend because the park’s campgrounds were 98 percent full.
Staffing the pool requires three lifeguards, a certified pool operator and someone to take money. Pool fees are going up this year from $6 to $8 for adults. The cost for children is $4.
Several years ago, the state spent $1.5 million to upgrade Victoria Pool, located behind the Gideon Putnam Hotel & Resort. “It’s our (taxpayer) money they spent and it’s just sitting there,” Goldstein said. “People would rather go to a hotel that has a pool open.”
She said many people are taking vacations close to home this year, another reason the pool should open earlier.
“A third of our very short summer should not be denied state residents whose hard-earned money paid to save it,” Goldstein said.
The park’s Peerless Pool is also scheduled to open on Saturday, June 27. Kuhn said the pools might open a week earlier if lifeguards are trained, water quality is sufficient and the weather cooperates.
Goldstein also protested the increased pool fee, saying it’s coming at a time when people can least afford it.
Statewide, the parks department was hit hard by this year’s fiscal crisis and forced to scale back or close a variety of facilities. Both the Victoria and Peerless pools will close an hour earlier (6 p.m.) and Peerless Pool will be closed Tuesdays. Use was lightest on Tuesdays the past several years, Kuhn said.
Goldstein said Tuesday is the only day Saratoga Race Course workers can go to the pool, when the track is dark. Kuhn said most of the workers go to Victoria Pool anyway, to avoid large numbers of camp children at Peerless Pool.
To access Peerless Pool, visitors must go through one of Spa State Park’s admission booths and pay a $6 day-use fee. On top of that there’s a pool fee, $2 for adults and $1 for children.
Park visitors can get to Victoria Pool via Avenue of the Pines, which can be accessed without going through an admission booth.
Spa State Park pools
Victoria Pool
ä Fee — $8 adults, $4 children
Peerless Pool
ä Fee — $6 park day-use plus $2 adults, $1 children for pool use.
ä Opening — Saturday, June 27 (both pools). Possibly one week earlier if conditions permit.
URL: http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2009/05/31/news/doc4a21f47d2eeeb049132421.prt
© 2009 saratogian.com, a Journal Register Property
10 comments:
Here we go again. Hey Louise, have you heard about what is happening to the parks in California? If you moved there you would have a lot more to do. :)
I don't like the way this article was written, obviously the writer has an attitude or agenda and is probably scheming with Goldstein and her cronies. If the pools do open one week early it will be yet another cop out from the park office. They let you fanatics bully them. I can't understand why, you don't make a damn bit of sense. Louise, you don't give a damn about race track employees, you're just afraid that the closure of the Peerless on Tuesdays will bring more children to your swimming hole.
Anonymous said...
“I don't like the way this article was written”
I got some words your like less
TOO BAD.
At least the parks realize a bit late that they are making a mistake.
But I say to little to late.
Maybe a few heads should fly.
I know it is too bad, you can't expect the liberal media to print any facts.
Yes that very same liberal paper that endorsed Tedesco over Murphy.
Somebody's got to tell the people in charge what to do; they obviously can't figure it out for themselves! Damn right, we don't want those screaming hordes of kids at our lovely, ADULT pool. The Peerless is set up for kids and is cheaper; let them go there.
Those screaming hordes are citizens of New York, too, and deserve to use whatever pool they want. I hope the laughter of children echoes in those storied brick arcades all summer long! The Society loses its legitimacy when it begins to isolate certain groups, but I guess for Louise, some pigs are more equal than others.
I believe hypocrite Louise Goldstein claims she learned to swim in the Victoria Pool. How can any other child have that luxury if they are kept away by you pompous, waddling, ignorant creeps? Ula, a new moron to add two cents. Welcome! And I hope those kids visit every single Tuesday. I hope that all those happy little campers romp around your little swimming hole.
So has there been an update on this story? the 20th, soon apporaches.
The 27th interferes wit the collection of my free pie at Grandma's, if I save some mag for a few months.
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